An End of Camp Letter…

The sun is setting earlier, the nights are getting cooler, and our summer at camp is coming to an end. Color War culminated in the traditional Sing and Final Fight earlier this week, and the last few days have been a blur of packing, cleaning up, finishing projects and preparing to close the books on the summer of 2016.

The last days of camp can be emotional; after all, we have lived, played, learned, laughed and grown together for the last seven weeks. The bonds of friendship forged at camp are uniquely strong, and although campers are excited to go home and see loved ones, it’s sad to say goodbye, even when we know we’ll see each other again.

The magical thing about camp, though, is that it’s more than a place where we spend the summer. It’s a community to which campers belong all year round. And just as camp friends stay in touch throughout the winter months, the lessons of camp follow each Bryn Mawr Angel home and become part of who she is.

That’s because camp isn’t just about making friends and learning new skills. It’s about learning and growing, letting your daughter spread her wings and find her own way, and making a place where she can feel safe exploring who she wants to be.

When she played sports at camp, your daughter wasn’t only working on her athletic skills; she was learning be a good sport and a team player. She broadened her horizons with activities like archery and boating that she may not do anywhere but camp. On the ropes course, she learned to conquer her fears and step out of her comfort zone. In gymnastics, she developed discipline and focus, at fitness she learned the value of good health, and in yoga she gained mindfulness. In fine arts, she channeled her energy into creative expression, and in drama she built confidence. With her friends and counselors by her side, she celebrated her achievements and learned from her mistakes.

Once the excitement of her homecoming has settled down, we hope you’ll have the chance to talk with your daughter about what she learned this summer — her successes and her challenges alike. Along with the values of Loyalty, Beauty, Merit and Comradeship, the lessons of the summer are ones she’ll bring home and employ at school, in activities and in her friendships throughout the year, whether she is “living ten months for two” and dreaming of next summer at camp or graduating from Bunk One and preparing to carry the LBMC spirit with her into the future!

And as we do every year, we want to thank you — for the gift of camp you give your daughter, for the trust you place in us, and for being a part of the Bryn Mawr family. We treasure the opportunity to make a summer home for your daughter.

2 Responses to An End of Camp Letter…

As a Grandparent & mother of a former Bryn Mawr Angel, I too thank you for taking such great care of Madi! I know that the values you teach all the girls are forever imbued in their souls. How lucky we all are to have the LBMC in our family! Thank you to ALL the staff for making this another summer to remember.

You are both AMAZING, and I as a parent appreciate the opportunity that you have given our children. Like the campers, they have grown in their years at Bryn Mawr and we appreciate all that you do for them. God Bless you both.
Jeff & Sue Hiller